The Danish-born Jens Risom brought the Scandinavian modern design sensibility to a wide audience in the United States. As the first designer for Knoll Inc., Risom introduced American buyers to the region’s enduring design values of simplicity, grace and craftsmanship.
Risom trained in furniture making at the Copenhagen School of Industrial Arts and Design under Ole Wanscher, alongside classmates Hans Wegner and Børge Mogensen. In 1939, a year after graduating from business school, Risom decided to move to the U.S.
While working for an interior designer in New York in 1941, he met Hans Knoll, and the businessman and the designer hit it off. They brought out their first line the next year, despite wartime materials restrictions. The signature piece — now a design icon — was a lounge chair with a striking, undulant birch frame and a seat made of webbed sub-military grade parachute straps. Risom was drafted into the army, and served as a translator under General George Patton. When he returned from the war, Risom clashed over furniture design ideals with his business partner’s new bride, Florence Knoll, the pioneering mid-century modernist who was schooled in the Bauhaus method, which favored furniture with strict, geometric metal frames. Risom then started his own company, Jens Risom Design.
In the course of his long career, Risom developed a stylistic vocabulary that was a reflection of the life of the man himself: his furniture has Danish warmth coupled with an American air of crisp efficiency. Vintage Risom chairs are almost instantly recognizable — the arms and seat backs are set at a distinctive angle that seems to invite people to sit back and relax, yet they know they can hop up in an instant, ready to go.
As you will see on these pages, Jens Risom is one of the great men of American modern design who made furniture that is unique and timeless.
Find a collection of vintage Jens Risom furniture on 1stDibs that includes lounge chairs, desks, coffee tables and more.
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Settee
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Settee This settee measures: 52 wide x 30 deep x 32.5 inches high, with a seat height of 15.75 inches Great Vintage Condition - Minor Areas of Wear o...
Upholstery, Walnut
$7,608Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.93 in W 51.97 in D 27.56 in
Newly upholstered Kvadrat Jens Risom settee or two seater USA - 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Berlin, DE
Newly upholstered Kvadrat Jens Risom settee or two seater. Oak frame
Fabric, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Two-Seater Sofa by Jens Risom, Walnut Frame, 1955
By Jens Risom
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A small, vintage Mid-Century Modern American two seater sofa or settee with four pillows, designed and produced by Jens Risom Design, Model U-151, in good condition. The seat, back rest of the divano is slightly inclinated with a button-tufted back and two straight arms, supported by a hand crafted Walnut frame, standing of four small curved wooden feet. Newly upholstered in an orange velvet. Wear consistent with age and use, circa 1955, New York, United States. Seat: 18.5" H x 44.5" W x 19.5" D Pillows: 20" H x 20" W x 7" D Jens Risom was a Danish, American furniture designer born in 1916, in Copenhagen, Denmark and passed away in 2016, in New Canaan, United States. He finished his apprenticeship as a designer at the Copenhagen School...
Fabric, Upholstery, Velvet, Walnut
Early Jens Risom Knoll Associates Armless Settee
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Southampton, NJ
Classic early Knoll Associates sofa designed by Jens Risom in the early 1940s. Solid birch base with sleek angled and tapering legs support a comfortable cantilevered seat with origi...
Upholstery, Birch
$4,200 / set
H 33 in W 23.5 in D 23 in
Stunning Black Button Tufted Leather Swivel Chairs, Jens Risom for Marble, Pair
By Jens Risom, Marble Imperial
Located in Buffalo, NY
Stunning pair of black button tufted leather swivel chairs by Jens Risom for marble, Classic Mid-Century Modern design, self balancing swivel mechanism bringing chairs back to positi...
Aluminum, Steel
Arts & Crafts Oak Framed Settee
Located in Petworth, GB
Exceptional quality oak framed, bobbin turned settee with decorative brass stud work. This settee has been re-upholstered with Liberty velvet fabric ‘Shand Voyage, Winter’ This was...
Oak
Guillerme & Chambron Settee in Oak, France, c 1960's
By Guillerme et Chambron, Votre Maison
Located in New York, NY
This settee was designed by the iconic French design duo Guillerme et Chambron. The high quality and distinctive skeletal open frame construction features a beautifully crafted spind...
Oak
Guillerme & Chambron Settees in Oak, France 1960's
By Guillerme et Chambron
Located in New York, NY
Rare Pair of of carved oak settees with removable arms, a very comfortable design with dynamic forms especially the back. Reupholstered in Pierre Frey fabric, cushions are done with ...
Wool, Oak
American Designer, Settee, Oak, Bamboo, Velvet, USA, 1960s
Located in High Point, NC
A cerused oak, bamboo and grey brown velvet sofa designed and produced in the US, 1960s. Seat Height (inches): 17.25” Arm Height (inches): 23.25" All items ship from High Point, N...
Velvet, Bamboo, Oak
Jens Risom Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Jens Risom lounge chair. Newly upholstered in a linen-blend fabric with a black lacquered base.
Linen, Wood
Jens Risom Loveseats, a pair
By Jens Risom
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s, signed. Both have been fully refinished and reupholstered in Maharam Hearth with new foam. There is still age-appropriate wear though including light cracking, chips to the...
Fabric, Oak
Jens Risom Sofa for Marble c. 1970s
By Jens Risom
Located in Chicago, IL
This sofa has been fully refinished, features new foam, and has been reupholstered in Maharam “Hearth” fabric - it feature a solid, white oak frame that has been steam-bent. There ar...
Fabric, Oak
1970s Italian Tubular Sofa
Located in Chicago, IL
fully restored in a nubby, wool-blend textile with new foam. The frame has wear consistent with age and use including scuffs, scratches, and paint use
Metal
Saporiti Italia Chairs in Alpaca, set of four
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s by Giovanni Offredi, Italy - signed and reupholstered in a 100% alpaca fabric. These chairs have age-appropriate wear to the frames but are in overall great condition. Two h...
Alpaca
Early Arne Jacobsen “Swan” Chairs, a pair
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Chicago, IL
fully restored in cotton velvet with new foam. Both retain their original maker’s mark
Velvet
Giancarlo Piretti “Sistema 61" Modular Sofa
By Giancarlo Piretti, Castelli
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s, Italy - fully restored in wool hopsack. It can be arranged in any way, as each piece connects and disconnects using u-hooks that connect beneath the sofa. This piece is in ...
Wool
